The Public Service Alliance of Canada, Quebec Region (PSAC-Quebec) is outraged about the situation its members at Parks Canada are facing. Parks Canada employees have been living in uncertainty for some time now with a workforce adjustment looming over their heads. Many departments have already gone through this process. Yesterday, Parks Canada’s acting CEO informed employees that their workforce adjustment is now underway. This week, 2,917 employees received a letter.
Concerns remain high about the direction Parks Canada is taking, further fuelled by rumours that several of the Agency’s sites in western Quebec may be sold or privatized.
Sébastien Paquette, Executive Vice-President for PSAC-Quebec, had this to say about the situation:
- We are especially concerned about the 372 members in Quebec who are currently undergoing a retention selection process at Parks Canada. We’ll be here to help them during this difficult period.
- Some regions will lose more quality jobs than others, and the economic impact could be significant. For example, there are 87 employees currently undergoing the retention selection process in the Gaspé region alone.
- Is there a connection between the rumoured sale of certain Parks Canada heritage sites in western Quebec and the planned workforce reductions? It doesn’t take a genius to answer that question.
- The government has stated that the upcoming cuts will have no impact on the public, but Parks Canada’s statement provides clear evidence to the contrary.
Parks Canada’s statement on the retention selection process
“As Parks Canada decides which areas of operation will be scaled back or discontinued, some jobs may remain unchanged, others may be modified, and some will be eliminated,” said Andrew Campbell, Parks Canada’s acting president and CEO.
What is a workforce adjustment?
Being in the retention selection process doesn’t necessarily mean an employee will lose their job. But they’re left waiting to learn which services Parks Canada will continue to offer. This means that some employees with years of service may find themselves having to requalify for their own positions.